The family of Yisroel Yudkin Hy”d, a charedi soldier who perished in Gaza, will visit his grave this week at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl to erect his tombstone.
Amidst their grief, the family has made an appeal to the Ministry of Defense. According to his brother Dubi, who commands a company of 93 soldiers, the Ministry of Defense has denied their request to inscribe the words ‘Hashem yikom domov – G-d shall revenge his blood’ on his tombstone.
“It is greatly disturbing us as a family that on Thursday, we must submit the wording of the headstone to the Ministry of Defense and my mother has asked that the words ‘G-d shall revenge his blood’ be written on his tombstone,” Dubi explained in an interview with Channel 14.
“This is the wording that charedi people write on their gravestones. The Ministry of Defense does not approve the word ‘Hashem’ [G-d], nor the root of the word ‘yikom,’ because revenge is forbidden, so the Ministry of Defense has not approved this.”
Dubi expressed his frustration, saying, “If you don’t respect the fallen charedi soldiers, then how do you want me to stay in the army? If you don’t respect my brother who fell during his service, why should I respect you at all?”
“We’re talking about drafting, we’re talking about charedim. The army is not built to take in charedim, it has no infrastructure for that. I’m not talking about Torah lessons, about mikvahs, about gender bases, I’m talking about weapons, about shoes.”
“I’m talking about a haredi soldier who is killed, the family wants it to be written, ‘G-d will avenge his blood,’ on the tombstone. It’s quite simple, it’s a simple request from my parents, and that’s what will show him respect. He grew up as a charedi, he was killed in the haredi regiment. They want these words to be written on the tombstone, so they come to the Ministry of Defense but they say, ‘No we are not approving these words,” he lamented.
Captain Yisroel Yudkin from Kfar Chabad, a 22-year-old combat soldier in the Kfir Brigade, was killed in battle in the northern Gaza Strip about six weeks ago.
Reprinted from the June 18, 2024 website of Matzav.com
More Torah Thoughts that Count
Making a sign to remind oneself to do something is always helpful and appropriate. A person shouldn't rely on memory alone, regardless of whether the obligation is physical or spiritual. (Peninei Torah)
That you may remember, and do all My commandments, and be holy to your G-d (Num. 15:40)
Said Rabbi Chanina ben Antignos: Whoever observes the mitzva of tzitzit will merit to live in the times about which the Prophet Zechariah said, "In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men from the nations of every language shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, We will go with you; for we have heard that G-d is with you." (Yalkut Shimoni)
Reprinted from the Parashat Shelach 5761/2001 edition of L’Chaim
